The world of pay-per-click advertising is vast. If you’re new to PPC, you might be wondering how paid ad marketing works and what the benefits are of using it to promote your business or services.
Pay-per-click advertising is when you pay a fee to have your website on the search engine results page when a user types in a phrase that is related to your business. It can help you gain leads and ultimately, when executed correctly, more sales for your business.
Although PPC is more commonly thought of as search engine marketing (SEM), encompassing search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing, it is also used on social channels such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Some of the top benefits of paid advertising include:
- Speed. Waiting to rank organically can take months, or even years. If you’re a start-up or small business, PPC ads allow you to bump yourself right to the top of the search engine results – without having to hustle as hard to earn your place at the top by building up your domain authority.
- Data. PPC ads can enrich your understanding of who your audience are, what they’re interested in, and how to talk to them. These learnings can be incorporated into your marketing strategy as a whole, as well as being used to optimise your SEO efforts.
- Audience access. You can control your audience and location targeting to ensure that you’re speaking directly to your ideal customers.
- Cost efficiency. PPC visitors are 50% more likely to make a purchase than organic visitors, according to Unbounce. And because you only pay when a user actually clicks through to your website, PPC ads provide great value for money. Plus, you have complete control over budget and how much you’re willing to spend.
However, understanding your business goals is critical to putting together a solid PPC marketing strategy. To be successful with your PPC efforts, you need to know who your target audience is and what platforms and methods are going to be the most effective ways of reaching them.
So, let’s get to it: what are the most common types of PPC ads out there?
1. Search Ads
Search advertising is a method of placing ads in search engine results pages which then show up when a user searches for specific keywords or phrases that relate to your product or service. This means that ads only appear to users who are actively searching for the product or service they require, who have pre-qualified interest or intent. The most common platforms for search are Google Ads (previously Adwords) and Microsoft Ads (Bing). This is a text-based ad format.
2. Display Ads
Whereas search ads are text-based, display ads are more visually engaging. Although still managed via Google’s ad platform, these ads display on third-party websites and use video, image, and text elements. The Google Display Network features over 2 million sites, reaching over 90% of online users – helping to dramatically increase the reach of your campaigns. Whereas search ads will only appear to users who are already actively searching for your product, display ads can be used as a form of passive advertising by allowing you to push ads out to users who fall into your target audience but may not be looking for your product yet. This helps generate demand for your services, whereas search ads are more often used to answer existing demand.
3. Paid Social Ads
Social ads encompass anything that you see on social media, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. These platforms give you the option to pay to show up in your target audience’s feed, or elsewhere within the network.
4. Retargeting Ads
The average conversion rate for search ads ranges between 3-6%, depending on the industry. That means that the vast majority of users who land on your site are leaving without taking a desired conversion action. Retargeting ads can be used to draw them back. They work by using cookies, or lists of contacts that you can upload, to retarget people who have previously engaged with your company. Ad platforms will let you specify what level of interaction the user has had with your company to deem them valuable enough to retarget – whether visiting a page, downloading content, or filling in a form.
5. Video Ads
Video ads are a fantastic way of raising brand awareness, fast. Video campaigns let you display ads on YouTube and on websites and apps running on Google video partners, although they can also be used as an ad format on paid social.
So, what’s the best type of PPC marketing for your business, and where should you advertise? Schedule your free 30 minute consultation with us to find out!
PPC Specialists 